Collector of unused water

ABSTRACT

A device for collecting unused water is placed underneath all kinds of taps and collects the pure unused water which escapes during the intermediate intervals of use of the tap. The device comprises two spherical sections connected to each other for collecting clean water and preventing the entry of used water into the head of the collector. The device has a flexible pipe which drives the water outside the place of use to a drain which leads it to a storage area. The collection of the water is achieved by taking advantage of the concentrated energy of the column of the water at one point, such as the moment the tap is turned on and the water is not yet being used. The opposite prevents the entry of the used water. The device may be used both household uses (kitchen, bathroom) and places of personal hygiene for the personnel of factories and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to a collector of unused water consisting of ahead and a remaining part. The head consists of two spherical sectionsfirmly connected to each other: 1) A small section which constitutes theupper part of the head of the collector and comprising a regulator ofthe incoming water having in its center a through hole whose lips arecurved at the top, a water tank having an inlet and an outlet withoverflow for the filling of the inlet pipe with water, and a waterdisturbance absorber from below and 2) a large section, which is thebase of the head of the collector, carrying four anti-skid legs ofadjustable height for the levelling of the head of the collector and anopen-turn pipe which is connected to the water tank which is in theupper part of the head with a small cross-section pipe.

The remaining part of the collector consists of a very flexible pipeconnecting the head to the drain, which consists of a pipe inside whichthere is an open-turn elbow with an extension along the run of the pipeand a side inlet. In the upper part there is an overflow valve. Thedrain is connected through a flexible pipe to a water storage tank.

From time to time, attempts have been made to lower water consumption,especially that of the households. Mechanisms and ways have beeninvented, some of which lower the pressure of the water and create sprayby inserting air in the pipes, thus creating the impression of quantitywhile in others there are reduced cross-sections in the water intakepipes (thermomixing sluice valves) where the typical position for use iseither open or close, making it impossible for the user to chooseanother position in between. There are also electromechanical ormechanical switches at the end of the tap.

These mechanisms have the following essential drawbacks:

1) Spray filters need frequent maintenance (screen cleaning.)

2) The reduced cross-sections in the thermomixing sluice valves do notprovide economy, they just reduce the waste since they usually functiononly when fully open.

3) Taps with electromechanical mechanisms cost a lot to buy, require anelectric installation all the way to the tap and cannot respond to themultiplicity of household uses. They are, however, suitable for publicplaces with simple uses (washing of hands) and are installed mainly forhygienic purposes.

4) The mechanical mechanisms at the end of the tap not only are they notconvenient for the user (the switch is activated by a flexible foil, orsomething similar, hanging from the tap and hampers most uses) but theyalso inflict hydraulic damage on the installation due to their abruptopening and closing.

The dominant mechanisms for water economy to-date are those which createspray water in a variety of ways, giving the impression of quantity. Thewater saved in this way is little because 1) after the first impressionshave subsided, the user seeks the weight of the water he was used to,which leads to a prolongation of the time of the use or the increase inthe water flow, and 2) the main problem, which is the wasting of purewater during the intermediate stages of a use, is not countered.Usually, the user either does not reach to turn off the tap during thetime he is not using the water, e.g., when washing his hands or shaving,or does not have the time to do so because the time periods are tooshort, e.g., when washing his face or because he does not wish to alterthe water mix in simple taps. The result is that the water wasted in theintermediate stages, when it is not used, is, as a rule, more than thewater needed for the use itself. A noteworthy case of water wasting isthe one in which we turn on the hot water switch and wait for it to comefrom the heater. If, furthermore, we have a solar heater, then the wasteis especially big.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a collector ofunused water according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relation between water collection versuswater supply.

FIG. 3 is a chart showing water usage for various household uses.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing use of the collector of unusedwater with a water-closet.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing use of the collector of unusedwater with a kitchen sink.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing use of the collector of unusedwater in a factory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the collector of unused water. Its function is illustratedbelow. The water passes through the regulator (1) of the incoming waterflow. The lips of the regulator are curved so that the water enters thepipe (2) without having its flow obstructed even in the event that thecolumn of water is not exactly in the center or diverses a little withthe increase of the water supply if the tap has a declination. Then thewater, with the power it carries, fills the open-turn elbow (2), theelastic pipe (3) and the open-turn elbow (5). As soon as this happens,there is pressure and an intense water rip forms in the mouth of theopen turn elbow (2). The lips of the mouth of the open turn elbow (2)are slightly curved (4) so that the rip is reflected to and damped inthe lower part (6) of the small spherical section of the head of thecollector. Then an outflow of water occurs from the extension of theopen-turn elbow (5). At the same time, tank (7) is filled through pipe(8) and when this is done there is an outflow of water from the overflowpipe (9). The waste pipe (10) plays a triple role: 1) It leads thecollected water, through an elastic pipe or without one to a storageplace; 2) it does not allow an uptake (during the stoppage of the watercolumn from the tap to the head of the collector) of the water insidethe elastic pipe; and 3) it has on its upper part an overflow valve (11)which when closed does not allow any more water inside the drain pipe(10) when the water storage place is full.

The stage of the creation of the column of water from the turning on ofthe tap until the outflow from the open-turn pipe (5) lasts about 0.35sec. During the stoppage stage, e.g., when we put our hands under thetap in order to rinse them, the dirty water cannot enter the head of thecollector for two reasons: 1) The water does not have the power to pushthe water which is inside the open-turn elbow (2) and the elastic pipe(3) since it runs diffusely, and 2) with the stoppage of the watercolumn, the water inside the elastic pipe (3) returns and empties overthe lips (4) of the open-turn elbow (2), flushing from the head of thecollector the dirty water running at the moment. Even when the flushinglasts a long time, dirty water cannot enter because there still is waterin part of pipe (3) and in the open-turn elbow (2) (a pipette iscreated). The level of the remaining water does not reach the lips (4)of the open-turn elbow (2), but stays lower, because the greater speedof the water during the emptying of pipe (3) forces the water, whichwould normally cover the pipette if it returned slowly, to overflow.This water covers the water which is inside tank (7) (volume of about 20cm³) which empties through pipe (8) and adds to it the amount missing toachieve an overflow through lips (4), thus preventing dirty water fromentering the open-turn elbow (2).

The collector of unused water functions extremely effectively even witha very small water flow, of the order of 2.8 L/min., and the lowest tappossible. It is designed so as to have its maximum performance at littleand medium water flow (small and medium tap opening), as shown in theoutput curve of FIG. 2. As for the particular cases where there is adrain of bigger cross-section in the kitchen sink (e.g., existence of agarbage disposal unit) and the path of the outflow mouth of the taphappens to pass close to the periphery of the drain so that the fouranti-skid legs (14) of the head of the collector cannot be solidlyattached when it is placed under the mouth of the tap, a simple ring ofbigger diameter than the base of the collector is placed on the base ofthe collector (13), thus moving the four anti-skid legs to a new base ofa bigger diameter.

Also, in case the column of water is too close to the walls of the sink,a short bent tube can be placed in such a way as to reach and fit thewater inlet of the head of the collector (1).

Finally, in case of great inclination of the tap, it is suggested that ashort bent extension be placed at the end of the tap to achieve betterverticality. FIG. 3 illustrates certain facts pertaining to specificeveryday household uses. The measurements were made with conservativeuse of a simple tap whose outflow mouth was 39 cm. above the bottom ofthe sink. The water supply network pressure was 1.8 BAR at periods ofrest and the internal diameter of the two open-turn elbows (2) and (5)as well as that of the flexible pipe (3) was 10 mm. These measurementsdid not take into account the fact that in each of the uses, as long asthey were not too close to each other in time, there is an amount ofwater added to the collected one due to the wait for hot water duringthe winter.

The overall consumption of water shown in FIG. 3, regardless of use, isrepresentative as it depends exclusively on the user. The numbers in theother columns are interesting. Looking, for example, at the use—facewashing—we see that when we consume 3.3 L, only 0.8 L are used for theactual use. The remaining 2.5 L are wasted during the intermediatetimes. The collector of unused water can collect 1.6 L of these 2.5 L.We, therefore, save 64% of the water which was not used in thisparticular use or a 48.5% economy in the water in the overall use of theparadigm without shortening the time of use. In case there is a periodof wait for hot water, the amount of collected water is much greater.

The collector of unused water is suitable both for household use(kitchen, bathroom) and for spaces of personal hygiene in small and bigfactories, etc., without it being binding.

The collector of unused water is a device of small volume, light, handyand can be installed in all kinds of lavatory washbowls, kitchen sinksor places having to do with personal hygiene. The only thing a user hasto do, is to place the head of the collector of unused water under thetap. The head of the collector can be moved and placed beside the tap,e.g., when we want to clean the place, very simply and easily.

The collector of unused water is a device with low manufacturing cost,simple and in need of no maintenance.

There are various solution to the problems of storage and distributionof the water. The size and the shape of the tanks as well as the haulingof the water are variables which can be modified to suit the solution wewish to achieve. The use of bigger spaces such as the lower part of thebathtub or the washbowl provides the ability to store more liters ofwater. The use of small pumps or pumps controlled by pressurelessmechanisms to haul the water further away or to higher points such asthe water tank in the closet above the lavatory allows greaterflexibility.

Of course, the simple and economical solution of placing a bucket by thecollection point for immediate use is by no means ruled out.

Below are described two ways of application of the invention, withreferences to the drawings, which are in no way restrictive.

EXAMPLE 1

Application in Household Use

In the bathroom (FIG. 4)

The layout shows: the collector of unused water, two 10 L tanks(suggested dimensions: 0.20×0.35×0.15 m.), a plastic pipe and a waterlevel switch. The height of the tank (2) is less or equal to thedifference between the height of the lip of the washbowl from the floorand the height of the level of the water in the water-closet from thefloor. The water is gathered by the collector of unused water and drivento tank (2). The water stored in this tank is exclusively for the flushwater-closet. When this is filled, the water overflows and fills tank(3) from which it can be used to clean the house, for instance.

When the water from the water-closet empties, switch (4) opens and thewater from tank (2) empties into the water-closet due to gravity.

The amount of water which can be collected in the bathroom in a familyof four can be deduced approximately by using the facts in the lastcolumn of FIG. 3:

hand washing 8 uses × 1.2L = 9.6L face washing 8 uses × 1.6L = 12.8Lteeth brushing 8 uses × 1.2L = 9.6L shaving 2 uses × 1.0L = 2.0L waitfor hot water estimated = 5.0L house cleaning intermediate 5 uses × 1.2L= 6.0L uses Total 45L

In the Kitchen (FIG. 5)

The collection and storage of water in the kitchen is done in a similarway. The tank can be installed underneath the kitchen sink. A sluicevalve is fitted in the lower part of the tank, from which we can get thecollected water. The quantity of the water gathered in the kitchen of ahouse of a family of four, which uses a dishwasher, has been measuredand it amounts, overall, for a whole day, to approximately 25 L.

Therefore, the water collected daily appears to be in the order of 70 L.This means that with the water we have collected we can cover our dailyneeds for the water closet (with rational use) and the cleaning of thehouse.

For a family of four with an average consumption of 35 m³ per quarter,this amounts to a water economy of 70 L×120 days=8,400 L, or 8.4 m³,which amounts to a 24% reduction in the overall consumption of water.

EXAMPLE 2

In places of personal hygiene in large and and small factories, etc.(FIG. 6)

Due to the nature of the work, most of the time for individual hygieneis particularly time-consuming and, consequently, the quantity of thecollected water is large. The water can be collected with lined-upcollectors of unused water and led to a common pipe which will fill awater tank that will supply the bathrooms or other needy places of theenterprise. The layout is shown in FIG. 6.

What is claimed is:
 1. A collector of unused water comprising: a headand a remaining part; the head comprising small and large sections; thesmall section constituting the upper part of the head of the collectorand comprising a regulator for incoming water and having in its center athrough hole having lips which are curved at the top, a water tankhaving an inlet during the filling and an outlet with overflow for thefilling of an inlet pipe with water, and a water disturbance absorber;the large section constituting the base of the head of the collector andcarrying anti-skid legs, an open-turn pipe having upper lips which areslightly curved, and a small cross-section pipe connecting the open-turnpipe to the water tank; and the remaining part comprising a flexiblepipe connecting the head to a drain, the drain comprising a pipe insideof which extends an open-turn elbow with an extension along the run ofthe pipe and a side inlet, and an overflow valve in the upper part ofthe drain, the drain being connected, with or without a flexible pipe,to a water storage tank.
 2. A collector of unused water according toclaim 1, including a base ring to better secure the collector in case ofa larger cross-section drain.
 3. A collector of unused water accordingto any one of claims 1 and 2, including a short bent extension which canfit in the tap to improve the verticality of the column of water.
 4. Acollector of unused water according to any one of claims 1 and 2,including a bent inlet water pipe which can fit in the water inlet ofthe upper part of the collector to draw water in case the column of thewater is close to the walls of a washbowl.
 5. A collector of unusedwater according to any one of claims 1 and 2, including small similartanks that can be combined or used separately.
 6. A collector of unusedwater according to any one of claims 1 and 2, including a large capacitytank which occupies the empty space of the lower part of a bathtub orthe back side of a washbowl.